Case



W. J. DAVIS Aug. 27, 1957 CASE Filed Sept'. 29, 1955 ATTUHNEYS.

f case having a plurality of sections or panels 11.

United States Patent Giiice 2,804,202 Patented Aug. 27,1957

CASE

Willis J. Davis, Chicago, lll., assignor to Sesame Container Corporation, Chicago, lll., a corporation of Illinois This invention relates to cases, and more specifically to a folding case particularly suitable for shipping and viewing film slides and the like.

It is believed well known that the film slides commonly used in connection with projectors and viewers are of a frangible nature and are easily broken or damaged. Such slides ordinarily consist of film transparencies mounted individually or in pairs between protective glass plates. In the shipping and handling of these slides, the protective glass plates are frequently broken or crushed, thereby rendering the slide unsuitable for the intended purposes.

Slide cases presently used for the shipping or mailing of film slides are generally unsatisfactory because they fail to adequately protect the breakable slides against the shocks and impacts normally occurring in transit. Often, the yieldable nature of the slide cases is responsible for the breakage. In other instances, slides have been shattered because the case bodies have failed to absorb or cushion the impacts `occuring during shipment.

Therefore, one of the main objects of the present invention is to overcome the defects of present slide cases, and particularly those defects mentioned above. Another object of this invention is to provide a sturdy and compact case for film slides and the like which is provided with a series of folding sections, and is adapted to accommodate a plurality of slides. A further object is to provide a folding pack composed of a corrugated board material and equipped with a plurality of hinged panels for securing and protecting film slides when the pack is folded, and for holding the slides in viewing position when the pack is unfolded. A still further object is to provide a slide case having at least three panels secured together by means of one-way hinges for allowing relative movement of the panels only in predetermined directions.

An additional object is to provide a corrugated board case equipped with a series of panels which may be folded into stacked relation, certain of the panels being provided with openings adapted to receive and secure film slides therein. Other objects will appear from the specification and drawings, in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of a case embodying the present invention; Figure 2 is another perspective View showing the case in partially unfolded condition for the viewing of a film slide carried thereby; Figure 3 is a developed top plan view showing the case in completely unfolded condition; and Figure 4 is a sectional side view of a partially folded case showing the details of construction thereof.

In the embodiment of my invention shown in Figure l, the numeral generally designates a pack or These panels may be secured in stacked relation by a pair of tape strips 12 and 13 extending in opposite directions about the pack, or by any other suitable sealing means. A label 14 affixed to the sealed pack is adapted to bear indicia setting forth the destination of the case, the address of the sender, and any other pertinent information.

As shown best in Figure 3, the case essentially comprises an elongated sheet of material 15 which is sectioned by transverse score lines 16 into a series of connected segments or panels 11. While this sheet might be cornposed of any of a number of suitable resilient materials, I have found that corrugated board material is particularly effective for purposes of the present invention. Preferably, the corrugations extend lengthwise or longitudinally with respect to the sheet, as indicated in Figure 2.

Figures 3 and 4 show that the single-face score lines 16 are spaced equally from eachother, and extend transversely and alternately on opposite sides of sheet 15. The uncut surface layers 17 and 18 at the base of each transverse score provide a series of one-way hinges 19,

each being oriented oppositely from the next hinge in the series. These hinges 19 limit both the distance and direction of movement of the panels 11. As shown in Figures l and 4, the panels may be folded into stacked relation. When the panels are unfolded, the scored edges 20 of adjacent panels are brought into abutting relation so that the relative movement of adjacent panels is limited to an angular distance of The elongated sheet 15 is divided by score lines 16 into an odd number of panels and, as seen in Figure 3, alternate panels of the series are provided with openings or windows 21. Preferably, both of the end panels 22 are imperforate in order to cover and protect slides carried by the perforate panels adjacent thereto when the surfaces 17 and 18 of the respective panels are in contiguous relation.

The mounting of film slides 23 within the openings of each of the perforate panels is best illustrated in Figures 2 and 4. Each slide commonly consists of a lm transparency 24 secured between a pair of thin glass plates 25 which are held together along their edges by tape 26. Most desirably, the openings 21 of the perforate panels are slightly smaller than slides 23 so that as the slides are inserted in the openings, the inner corrugated liner 27 of the panels is compressed, thereby insuring a snug fit between slides 23 and the walls of the openings. Moreover, when the slides are fully inserted within openings 21, the edges 28- of the surface layers 17 and 18 overlap the edges of the slide and securely lock each slide Within its respective opening.

After the slides have been inserted into the windows of each perforate panel, and have been locked in place by the tabs or edges 28, the outer surfaces of the slidecarrying panels may be marked in any manner suitable for identifying the slides carried thereby. The pack may then be folded, sealed and labeled, as shown in Figure l. Since each of the perforate panels is sandwiched between imperforate panels or sections when the pack is folded, it will be apparent that the present invention affords substantial protection for the frangible slides during shipment thereof. The sealed pack is rigid enough to resist forces which -might otherwise twist and crack the slides, While at the same time the resilient nature of the board material and the laminated character of the case cushions and protects the slides against compressive forces.

After the pack has reached its destination, the tape strips 12 and 13 may be cut or removed, and one of the cover panels 22 may be pivoted about its hinge to expose the slide carried by the panel therebeneath. This slide may then be quickly identified by the markings on the exposed surface -of that perforate panel. If viewing of the slide is desired, the cover panel may be lifted from the pack, and the slide-carrying panel may be placed in front of a suitable light source. The overlapping edges of the surface layers firmly anchor the slide within opening 21 so that the slide-carrying panel may be lifted (as 3 shown in Figure 2.) without danger of the slide beeom ing detached from that panel. Y

Similarly, other slides mounted within the pack may be individually exposedand examined by folding and lifting any odd, number of panels. lIf removal of any of the slides from the pack is desired, the. particular slides may be pushed free of the locking tabs 2.8 of the panels and' withdrawn from the case.

While I have described the slide-carrying and viewing case of the present invention in considerable detail for purposes of illustration, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that many of these details may be varied considerably without departing from the principles and spirit of this invention.

I claim:

l. In a storing and viewing case Vfor ihn slides, an elongated sheet of corrugated board4 material having an inner liner with longitudinal corrugations and having flat surface layers on opposite sides thereof, said sheet being scored along transverse score lines extending alternately across opposite sides thereof to define an odd-numbered series of panels having substantially uniform dimensions, said transverse score lines providing oppositely oriented one-Way hinges between successive panels of said oddnumbered series, the even-numbered panelsof said series each having an opening extending through opposite sides thereof for receiving a lm slide therein, said surface layers of the even-numbered panels projecting inwardly i about the edges `of said Iopeningsto provide tabs for lock- Ving said slides therein, whereby said sheet may be folded along said transverse score lines for arranging said panels `in an accordion-folded stack with said even-numbered slide-carrying panels disposed lbetween the odd-numbered panels of the series. l

2. In a storing and viewing case for lm slides, an elongated sheet of corrugated board material, said sheet being scored along uniformly spaced transverse score lines extending alternately across opposite faces thereof to provide a series of at least three panels with oppositelyoriented one-way hinges between successive panels of said series, one of said panels being provided with a r tangular ,opening extending through opposite faces of for receiving a film slide therein, said sheet being foldablevalong said transverse score lines for folding said panels into stacked relation and for sandwichng the aforesaid one panel betweenj others of said panels when said panels are stacked.

, References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

